Work support



p 1943. c. E. PETERSON ETAL 2,329,135

WORK SUPPORT Filed Dec. 5, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 1,

4 mm f Sept. 7, 1943.

c. E, PETERSON EI'AL 2,329,135

WORK SUPPORT Filed Dec. 5, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 7, 1943 UNITED STATE s iATEENT OFFICE I j WORK SUPPORT Conrad E. Peterson, Auburndale, and Gordon L.

Olson, Arlington, Mass.

Application December 5, 1941, Serial No. 421,766

6 Claims, (01. 90-58) This invention relates to apparatus for supporting various articles of work while manufacturing operations are-performed'on-them such, for exon it. The nature understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings and the novel features will :be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, V Figure 1 is a plan view of a work support constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the right-hand side of the work support as illustrated in Fig. 2, some of the parts being shown in section; I d

Fig. 4 is a vertical, sectional View approximately on the line-44, Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional view through the edges of the base and the bed plate illustrating details of construction.

- The construction shown comprises a face plate 2 provided with a series of T- 'shap'ed grooves .3, or otherwise constructed for the convenient attachment thereto of a work piece. This face plate is mounted for adjustment in a vertical plane (assuming that the device normally is supported in a horizontal position) relatively to a base 4. For this purpose the face plate has two plate-like arms 5-5 integral therewith and projecting rearwardly therefrom, and the base 4 is provided with two upstanding plate-like trunnions 66 between and in contact with which the arms 5-5 are mounted. The mounting mechanism includes two bushings l--'| best shown in Fig. 3, both provided with flanges which are secured by screws 8 to their respective arms 55, and each fitting snugly in a hole reamed to fit it in one ofthe trunnions 6. Keyed to these bushings are two collars Ill-H! mounted on the opposite ends of a sleeve l2, and a shaft or bolt l3 extends through this sleeve and both bushings and is threaded at its opposite ends to receive clamping nuts I4l4. Adjustment of the angle plate around the common axis of the bushing 1-1 preferably is produced by means of a worm wheel meshing with of the invention will be readily a worm l6, the'end portions of the worm being 'journaled-in trunnions I! which may be cast integral-with the base 4. Hand wheels 18- 18 are secured to theopposite ends of the wormshaft.

' The worm wheel is secured fast on the sleeve I2 I and the latter memberpreferably is spaced from the shaft l3'by bushings'at opposite ends of the sleeve, one of these bushings being shown at 2 'l in Fig. 3.

It will thus be evident that by rotating either of the hand wheels Hi, the face plate Z may be fadjusted around the axis of the pivot bushings T- l, and since the worm and worm wheel adjusting mechanism is irreversible, it will'hold the face plate in any position to which it is adjusted.

, However, it is usually preferred to lock the farms 5-5 of the face plate to the trunnions" '66 by tightening up the clamping nuts M 44 when the face plate has been adjusted to the desired position, and these nuts are backedcffbefore making any further adjustment ofthe face plate. The

bevelled surfaces 41., Fig. 2, of the trunnions 8-5 are'graduated in degrees to cooperate with one or more index marks'onthe adjacent surfaces of the arms 5-45 to indicate the angle of inclination of the face plate relatively to a horizontal plane. As will be readily seen from an inspection of i Fig. 2,1the parts are so dimensioned'and arranged that-the face plate can be adjusted through an angle of 180. That is, the adjusting mechanism forthe face plate, including the worm gear l5 and the means for supporting and operating it,

are all located inside the arc'of swing of theface plate 2.

In addition to the adjustment just described,

' provision also is made for adjusting the face plate in a horizontal plane through a complete revolution, if desired.v For this purpose the base 4 is mounted on a bed plate 2E! which, as best shown at 2| in Fig. 1, is slotted to receive bolts by means of which it can be secured to the machine with which it is to be used. A pivot bolt 22 connects the base plate with the bed plate, the axis of this I bolt intersecting the axis of the pivot bushings 1-! above referred to at the center of the worm wheel I 5. Consequently, by loosening the nut on this bolt the base plate 4 can be adjusted around it, and since the base plate carries the face plate and its supporting and adjusting means, all of these parts move with it. A bevelled edge b, Figs. 1 and 2, on the marginal portion of the bed plate immediately below the edge of the base plate 4 is graduated in' degrees to cooperate with index marks on the base to show the angular relationship of the face plate to the bed. Two bolts 23-43, best shown in Fig. 3, pass through holes in the base 4 and have heads running in a circumferential groove 24, Fig. 4, formed in the bed plate, so that by tightening up the nuts on these bolts the base may be secured in any desired position of adjustment. Webs are provided at convenient points to secure the central portion of the bed rigidly to its marginal portion.

Because the Lface plate is adjustable. about a horizontal-axis through an angle of 180 and the base on which it is mounted also is adjustable about a vertical axis through 360, the face plate may be adjusted into a great variety of-=an1 l ar positions in which it will support work pieces of numerous forms for the particular operationto'be performed on an individual work pieceby a given machine. Consequently, amork supportof this nature finds a multitude of uses in practically any machine shop.

While wwethave heneim'show-ncand descr-ibeda preferredembodiment of tour ,-i-nvention,- it (will. be -zevident -.that tthe rinvention t-is not.,-,-1imi-ted to sembodiment rinwthe, precise, 'fGIiIH ShQWIl.

iHavmgthus describedsour invention what we desire to-claimasrnew is 1..A*.wor.k =supporteofethe .characteradescnibed, comprising a face )plate constructed for :the attachment thereto of articles of work, a horizontaLbasemrovided with tw parallel plateelike ntrunnions.fspacednapartand extending upwardly iron-:saidhasasaid face plate having two-rearattachment thereto of articles of work, a horizontal base provided with two parallel plate-like trunnions spaced apart and extending upwardly from said base, said face plate being grooved on its face and also on two edges at right angles to said face to receive fastenings by means of Which articles of work may be secured to it, said face plate having two rearwardly extending plate-like arms rigid therewith, said arms overlapping said :respective trunnions. and having broad bearing engagement with them, means pivotally connecting said arms with said trunnions and supporting said face plate for angular adjustment around a :horizontal axis relatively to said base and through an anglepfapproximately 180, and a worm gear- 'i-ngmounted 'on said base between said trunnions for producing said adjusting movement.

W ly tending ;;plate.-like rarmsrigid therewith,

.said arms .ouerlappingsaid respective I trunnions z-amdhaving broad: bearing-engagement with them,

lat-horizontal shaft-extending through said .:arms "and ,said rtrun-nions, bushings secured --to .said :.-r Sp ctiv.e iarms sand encircling the portions of Ethe shatttwherecit passesxthroughleachcarmaand its lcooperating trunnion, whereby said bushings ooooperate with said a shaft -to support esaid vface platesfortang ular adjustment aroundthe :axis of .said. shaft, :a .worm gear-encircling said shaft between Jsaid bushings and secured to them, 1- a .womtshattzmounted on saidbase, a worm on the .throughanangle .of..appnoximatel-y .1809.

3. A work support of the character described,

acomprising .a .face ,plate constructed .for the- A. :A work ssupport according to preceding claim 1,, including a nut screw threaded on one "en'd'ofsaid horizontal shaft and a head on the anther-whereby, upon tightening ;.said jznut, ,-.said 1ramsc-wilkzberclampedttozsaid :tmmnions.

. 5. .Awork support-according; to zprecedingzclaim ,;1,: inroombination withaszbed on iwhich'said base iismountedpand means .'.connecting=.said:base:and .said' bed "together: for .ipivotal -.:adj;ustment .xof the .Ebase; relativelytot thezbed; ,anoundza' vertical axis intersecting the'horizontal-zaxis of :said shaft; and "means fiorzsecuringzsaid'zbase \to saidibed in various -.sposttions of angularaadjiustmentrelatively .thereto. I

:6. iA workp'support :of .tthe .xcharacter :descr ibed, wcompris'rng 1a i-iface rplate ::constructed for cthe :attachment itheretocof articles ;of zrwork, ;.a;hori- ;zontalrbase.: .provided "with two; miaralleliiplate-like trunnions spacddiapaiitandeextending upwardly from said base, said face plate-having tworrear- :wardly -extending plate sl-ike za-rmsrri-gid therewith, saidarms overlapping a saidgwespective trunnions andhavi-ngcbroad ebearing :engagementavith them, means pivotally connecting said arms withzrsaid "trunnions rand supporting said face plate for angular adiustment ,around .-a horizontal axis relatively to said base thnoug hianiangle :o'f-approxvultimately.180", auworm gear between .said armsland rigidly connected with -them, a vzorm=mounted-on said .:base between said trunnions and cmeshing wvith said .iwormgeartto .drive inland means operable to revolve said wormfiand-therebyto adjust ..said .faee ,plate-around-said axis. ,-said wormwand the .worm ,gear. being located within the. .arc :of

, .swingjofsaid face plate.

CONRAD.-E. PETERSON. .GQRDQN1L-QLSON. 

